Air India Flights Avoid Iranian Airspace As Tensions Spiral In West Asia

Air India flights are avoiding Iranian airspace as a precautionary measure as tensions rise in West Asia following Iranian menace of reprisals for the alleged Israeli strike on Iran’s embassy in Syrian capital Damascus earlier this month.

An Air India flight flying from New Delhi to London this morning took an extended path to keep away from the Iranian airspace, in keeping with Flightradar.

Air India joins Lufthansa and Qantas to keep away from Iran’s airspace amid hovering tensions within the area. Australian service Qantas stated on Saturday it could redirect its long-haul flights between Perth and London to keep away from Iran’s airspace.

“We’ll attain out to prospects straight if there’s any change to their reserving,” the spokesperson for Qantas stated.

German service Lufthansa and its subsidiary Austrian Airways have additionally redirected their flights and prolonged a suspension on flights to and from Tehran after Iran threatened Israel with reprisals and US officers advised information companies that an assault on Israel is imminent.

“Because of the present scenario, Lufthansa is suspending its flights to and from Tehran as much as and together with Thursday, 18 April. The airline can also be now not utilizing Iranian airspace,” Lufthansa spokesperson stated Friday.

The US on Friday maintained that Iranian menace to Israel stays excessive and its President, Joe Biden, requested arch-foe Tehran to chorus from attacking its strongest ally within the area.

He stated he expects Iran to strike within the brief time period in retaliation for a strike in Syria.

“I don’t wish to get into safe data however my expectation is ahead of later,” Biden advised reporters after an occasion.

“We’re dedicated to the defence of Israel, we’ll assist Israel, we’ll assist defend Israel and Iran won’t succeed,” he stated.

The air strike that struck Iran’s consulate constructing within the Syrian capital on April 1 killed 16 folks, together with seven members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

Probably the most senior determine killed was Brigadier Basic Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander within the Quds Drive, which runs Iran’s overseas army operations.

Iran and Syria have blamed the assault on Israel, which has not confirmed its involvement however is broadly thought-about to be accountable — together with by its allies.

(with inputs from CNN-News18)